1/25/2012

The Chicago Park District and the Jazz Institute of Chicago proudly announce the 15th anniversary season for JazzCity, an admission-free concert series featuring world-class performers at various neighborhood parks throughout the city on select Fridays, Feb. 10 – Dec. 7. The Jazz Links student ensembles kick off all of these family friendly concerts at 7 p.m. Artists and dates are subject to change. For more information on JazzCity, please call the Jazz Institute at 312-427-1676.

Over the past 15 years, the JazzCity series has surveyed the various forms of the genre from masters to experimental groupings, including an improvisation with a young basketball team and a hip hop poet. Many emerging musicians made their public debut through this program and have gone on to national repute.

The JazzCity free concert series began in 1997 as a way to explore cultural connections in communities throughout Chicago. The concerts are unique in their mission to connect people of all ethnicities and generations to the musical and spiritual legacy of jazz in Chicago. For musicians, it's a great opportunity to present new work. For audiences, it's an opportunity to bring families and friends to see world-class musicians in their own community.

Big Band Brazil
Feb. 10
Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St., 773-287-7658
The season opener will feature Brazilian guitarist/vocalist Paulhino Garcia leading a band that explores the history of bossa nova combining traditional jazz with Brazilian rhythms.

Dee Alexander’s Tribute to Jimi and James
Dec. 7
South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Dr., 773-256-0149
The season finale features Chicago vocalist Dee Alexander transforming works by Jimi Hendrix and James Brown through her own unique vision.

The Chicago Park District is the largest municipal park manager in the nation and owner of more than 8,100 acres of green space. We invite you to take in a concert or a movie at one of our 580 parks, to expand your horizons by registering for one of our thousands of programs offered throughout our 260 field houses, to get a great workout indoors at one of our state-of-the-art fitness centers, or outdoors along Lake Michigan’s 26 miles of pristine lakefront, or enjoy nature with a peaceful visit.